Lionel FT vs F-3 ?

If you look in the "before, during & after" thread you can see my later Postwar New Haven F3 in about the middle and in a later shot a circa 2000 New York Central FT.

sorry, but they're not together. I think the detail is pretty close.

Peter

https://ogrforum.com/t...-after-photos?page=1

Flash:

Lionel made huge improvements in their F3 units when they introduced the first scale diesels back around 2003. They are some of my personal favorites on the layout for detail and good looks.

For small curve layuts, the FT looks better.

But of course Lionel put on liveries it never had.  Example:  Southern Pacific.  Now, if they did SSW, the Cotton Belt, that would be K, for they did have some!

From the pictures I've seen the FT looks smaller than the F3. Which is why I was hoping someone might post a pic of them sidie by side. But maybe the prototype FT was actually smaller than the F3. I really have no idea. 

Yes Flash - the prototype FT was a few feet (4- 6?) shorter than the F3

EMC FTA and FTB

TOTAL LENGTH..FTA 50' 8"  FTB..48' 3"

TOTAL HEIGHT..14' 7"

EMD F3A and F3B

Total length..F3A 50' 8"    F3B..50'0"

Total height..15' 0"

...so the FTA was just a wee bit shorter in height. I doubt you could see that on the model.

Mark

I can compare the Texas Special PWC F3 and FT units.  I like both, the FT is a tad shorter than the F3 but Lionel did a great job on the FT's.   I updated my Texas Special (Texan set) FT's with TMCC/EOB/RS and with the can motors it runs much smoother than my PWC F3.  But like I said, I like them both. 

Steve, Lady and Tex

No pics but the FT models are stubbier in length than either the PW F-3's or the newer scale F-3's. 

From a feature standpoint, the FT's are sort of in between (this is regarding the early 2000 command control version). More detail in the body casting and pilot but lacking add-on details such as doorway handrails, cab interiors and crew figures.

In these drawings it says that both the FTA and FTB were each 48 feet 3 inches.

http://www.alternatewars.com/B...roads/EMD_FT_DWG.png

I have both 2343 and the TMCC equipped first run of the FT's.  I can post pics later.

I guess I stand corrected about the length difference. Seems I read here just a few months ago that the FT was shorter by a few feet?

Hate to differ but my Texas Special FT A unit has engineer/fireman figures.  The powered A unit also has 2 headlights, one of which I upgraded into Mars light.  I also added rubber K-line diaphragms to the AB units. 

The units are missing metal grab rails to doors though.  I don't know about other Lionel FT units, but some of the FT A units offered in sets have quite stunning paint scheme's, like the Rio Grand Ski Train.

Steve, Lady and Tex

You may be right. The drawings sure say so. I used this reference for dimensions.

Mark

Here is a picture of 2343 with the TMCC first issue FT. The FT is roughly 1/2 inch shorter than the F3. The FT is a tad taller. 

The first FT's were designed to have the Odyssey motor. When that fell through, Lionel substituted two RS385 can motors. The problem with this was they used the vertical motor F3 trucks and gears and kept the same 8:1 gear ratio that would be normally used with the AC universal motor. The result is that the can motors get very hot even after just a few minutes of operating. 

Steve,

Yes, that's why I mentioned that I was referring to the year 2000 tmcc models (Santa Fe, B&O and NYC). None of which had cab interiors or figures.

Thanks for the correction, I overlooked that statement.

Steve, Lady and Tex